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Just another bait-n-switch that should surprise nobody by now. It's a national trend. Very glad I chose not to apply this year as I was kicking around ibex & oryx until the app deadline. Waste of coin as it turned out. Been making some good personal decisions lately getting out of bad lotteries. This is one that will join that club hereafter.

16% is not a lot of tags to give nonresidents. I guess it's better than some states.

Non-residents only are assured 6% of the tags. The other 10% is in the outfitter draw in which both residents and non-residents can apply.

I sent NMDGF and email today requesting an immediate refund of all my tag fees, license fees, and application fees, if they plan to limit the non-resident quota this year. The 2014-2015 New Mexico Hunting Rules & Info specifically stated on page 6 that "Draw Licenses for bighorn sheep, ibex and oryx" are "hunts not subject to quota".

They have replied:

"The Department is assessing impacts and options to hunters that applied for bighorn sheep, ibex and oryx. Once the Department has determined the best course of action, we will notify the public regarding any changes to the application or draw process for these species. Notification of any changes will be sent to the media and published on our website.

Might be the best year to draw yet if most NR's get mad and withdraw you might be the only NR left. LOL

"Now two flags fly above my land that really sum up how I fee. One is the colors that fly high and proud The red, the white, the blue. The other one's got a rattlesnake With a simple statement made "Don't tread on me" is what it says and I'll take that to my grave. Because this is me. I'm proud to be American and strong in my beliefs. And I've said it before but I'll say it again 'Cause my family's always fought and died to save this land. And a country boy is all I'll ever be."

The NM G&F has done the correct thing with the issuance of this email today on how they are going to handle the draw for those three animals this year and it's exactly what I told everyone on a couple other websites that they needed to do in order to stay out of individual lawsuits or a Class Action lawsuit by NR hunters. Every NR should immediately request a refund because with the low tag numbers for those three animals, especially sheep, and a 6% cap for NR DIY hunters there won't even be any tags available for a NR to draw under the change! Here is the email:

REVISED: CORRECTED PHONE NUMBER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, MARCH 26 2014:

APPLICANTS FOR BIGHORN SHEEP, ORYX AND IBEX HUNTING LICENSES ELIGIBLE FOR FULL REFUNDS

SANTA FE – Hunters who applied for bighorn sheep, oryx or ibex licenses for the 2014-15 seasons and are unsuccessful in the drawings will be eligible for full refunds of application fees and license fees, the Department of Game and Fish announced Wednesday.
Application fees normally are nonrefundable whether a license applicant is successful or not. This year’s departure from that practice is in response to Monday’s ruling in U.S. District Court that vacated a 1977 injunction that prohibited the Department from applying preferential quotas that benefitted state residents in drawings for bighorn sheep, oryx and ibex licenses. The injunction allowed nonresidents to enjoy the same odds as residents when applying for those species.

Because of Monday’s ruling, the Department will begin applying the same quotas this year to bighorn sheep, oryx and ibex applications as it applies to deer, elk, pronghorn antelope and Barbary sheep. According to those quotas, 84 percent of licenses are allocated to New Mexico residents, 6 percent are allocated to nonresidents, and 10 percent are allocated to applicants – residents and nonresidents – who use New Mexico outfitters.

Applicants for bighorn sheep, oryx and ibex who choose not to participate in the new quota system must delete their applications by April 18. Applications can be deleted through online accounts or by telephone toll-free, (888) 248-6866.

“The Department determined that it will be most equitable to refund the normally nonrefundable application fees to applicants who are unsuccessful or who choose to withdraw their application due to changes resulting from the recent court decision, and to comply immediately with state law,” Department General Counsel Allison Marks said.

Because the option to apply with outfitters was not offered on this year’s application forms, hunters who would like to designate a valid outfitter will be able to do so and join the 10 percent license allocation pool. To add a New Mexico outfitter to an application, the applicant will be required to call the Department and provide the application number, customer identification number and the outfitter number no later than April 18.

The court ruling prompted the Department to delay this year’s drawing by approximately one week. Drawing results will be available no later than April 30.

The NM G&F has done the correct thing with the issuance of this email today on how they are going to handle the draw for those three animals this year and it's exactly what I told everyone on a couple other websites that they needed to do in order to stay out of individual lawsuits or a Class Action lawsuit by NR hunters. Every NR should immediately request a refund because with the low tag numbers for those three animals, especially sheep, and a 6% cap for NR DIY hunters there won't even be any tags available for a NR to draw under the change!

It was the right thing to do. It appears that for those who choose to leave their application in the drawing, they will not be charged nonrefundable application fees this year:

"“The Department determined that it will be most equitable to refund the normally nonrefundable application fees to applicants who are unsuccessful or who choose to withdraw their application due to changes resulting from the recent court decision, and to comply immediately with state law,” Department General Counsel Allison Marks said."

Ok, so they say you can jump in the outfitter pool now and that's what I think I'm going to do for these 3. My assumptions is they round down and not up on tag allocation since you can't exceed the 10% or 6%

Oryx hunts have 49 tags, so 4 to outiftters and 2 to NR DIY

Ibex rifle & mz each have 25 tags, so 2 to outfitters and 1 to NR DIY

The question I have is how are they going to run the sheep hunts? % of total sheep tags?
If they run it as a % of each hunt code, this is now a resident only hunt, no NR tags.
There are 12 BHS and 16 DBHS total Ram tags available.
Under the assumption they treat those seperately, you get one outfitter tag per species and NO DIY tags.
Under the assumption they do % of the total sheep draw (This would seem to me to be the fairest), there's 28 total ram tags so 1 DIY tag and 2 outfitter tags.